Olde Gate Inne, Brassington

Stone built pub of 1616 with alterations in 1874 (these dates are inscribed on the building itself). This is three-roomed, of considerable character and is little altered due to the long stewardship of a Mr & Mrs Castledine for 50 years until 1987 and then former tenants Paul & Evie Burlinson who retired in 2008. Enter the inner lobby with an old quarry tiled floor and old dado panelling under a hatch that looks like the off-sales. The main bar on the right has a quarry tiled floor and superb inglenook cast iron range fireplace with a collection of brass items. Look for the front window which can be opened – it is believed to be there so that the licensee could give a drink to the coach driver!

There were changes to the bar counter in c.1953 but the old frontage remains; the opening on the right hand side was the original hatch and there are signs of where some shutters were removed from the upper part; the larger left hand opening dates from c.1953, which is the date on the Gaskell & Chambers set of handpumps situated near the off sales hatch. The bar counter may be more modern. The lower bar back fitting is old (note the old bottle opener) but the shelves directly above were added in recent years (1980/90s we were told), however, there are some very old shelves on the (partition) wall alongside the off sales hatch. The benches around the room look at least 70 years old and have no proper back, but a beam across the top – one has a back that moves from one side to the other in the same way as benches on trams!; the scrubbed top tables are at least 50 years old. The timeless nature of this room is emphasised by the row of pewter mugs hanging from the beams and an old ticking clock.

The room to the right side of the pub has a parquet floor, probably interwar. It is fully panelled with the majority of the fielded panelling appears to be from the 17th century, quite possibly installed in 1616. Note how the original fireplace to the east side has been covered up and a newer one installed on the opposite side of the room, which was possibly done in the interwar period (assuming parquet floor is of this time; also change of ownership happened in 1937 and most new owners make some changes!). The original exterior entrance to this room is locked out of use - the interior part is located behind a curtain on the north wall.

The quarry tiled-floored room on the left was brought into use in c.1952 being the old kitchen hence the range fireplace. The high backed settle which is raised at one end came from the Queen Adelaide, Snelston Common, near Ashbourne when it closed in 2001. The room is served by a split door with shelf – it is rare to see the top part of the door intact as it is here. A former meeting room upstairs is no longer in use.